Combined table and truck



Oct. 20, 1931. A. B. ODELL COMBINED TABLE AND THU CK Filed March 14, 1930 INVENTOR Fig.4-

Patented Oct. 20, 1931 ALBERT B. ODELL, or .ICLEVELAND, onro,

ATEN OFFICE,

ASSIGNEPY To THE STRONG, CARLISLE &

HAMMOND COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIb/A CORPORATION OF OHIO ooivmnvnn TABLE rum TRUCK Application filed March 14, 1930. Seria1'No.-435,75 7.

The invention disclosed in this application relates to combined tables'and trucks for use in shipping roomsand the like.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined table and truck for shipping rooms and the like where operatives may, for example, place a box or crate upon the table and load said box or crate with heavy materials and thereafter when the load is completed and ready for transportation to another point, operate certain mechanism which converts the table from a firm stout non-rolling device to a rolling truck or vehicle easily transported from one place to another. The important feature of the invention is that the conversion from thetable into a truck or the like preferably lowers one end of the tableso that the entire structure is then supported upon wheels and may be easily moved about. In this arrangement, the upper surface with its crates or boxes is inclined and the lower end adjacent to the floor where the load may be readily transferred from the device.

The invention is very aptly disclosed in the specific embodiment set forth in the following description, drawings and claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is a similar View with the parts arranged for use with the truck;

Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation; and Fig. 4

is a front end elevation.

In the embodiment shown, 1 represents a table top provided with a rear support or leg structure 2 having a base portion at 3 and an upper inclined base i'extending from said base portion 3. Upon this inclined base portion 4 are suitable castor rollers 5. The opposite end of the table is provided with 404 a collapsible leg frame comprising an upper leg frame portion 6 hinged at its rear upper edge by hinges 7 to the under side of the table and at its lower front edge by hinges 8 to a lower front leg frame structure 9.

The upper frame structure has a horizontal flat face for engaging the under side of the table while the two frames meet on a horizontal plane as at 11 so that when weight is'placed upon this front leg stru'cture. the .5 parts tend to move into firm supporting position as shown in Fig. 1. The bottom of the lower frame 91s preferably made flat as at 12 toprovide a firm support upon the floor. The front edge ofthe table is provided with an angle iron lip 13 for preventing the unintentional discharge of articles from the upper surface'of the table when it is inclined, as will appear.

Secured to theunderside of the table 1 and preferably just in the rear of the front leg structure are suitablebrackets 14 carrying'a shaft 15 upon which truck wheels 16 V are mounted.

When the parts of the device are in a normal'table arrangement, they are as shown in Fig. 1, the rear supporting portion 3 and the front leg-structure supporting thetable top in position for holding crates or boxes or the like in a position for packing by the operator. In order to convert the table into a truck,

the front leg structure is collapsedinwardly and this is accomplished by providing the lower front leg frame with distancerods l'l,

one on each side and extending from'pivotal' points 18 at the lower ends of the legs to a point 19 on the rear leg structure near the floor. These distance rods not only hold the front leg structurein proper position when the device is used as a table but also serves to permit the breaking of the front leg structure when the device is converted into a truck.

The=mechanism for'breaking the front leg 7 structure from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 2 comprises a handle frame consisting of the side members 20 secured at 21 to the rear leg structure near the top and having a handle 22 which may be grasped and raised outwardly, as will appear.

Intermediate'the ends of these side members 20 are pivots23 eachof WhiChiS connected by a link 24 to a pivot25 adjacent to the joint between the upper andlower front leg frames. The arrangement of this mechanism just described is such that when the handle frame is raised from the position shown in. Fig.1 to that shown in Fig. 2 the front leg structure is collapsed into'the posi-. tion shown in Fig. 2 and the supporting wheels 16 are brought down upon the floor while the rear end of the device is supported upon the castors 5. In this arrangement, the handle 22 serves as a handle for the truck and the device may be shifted from one point to another. It is also obvious that the upper surface of the table, in the truck position, is

inclined similar to most hand truckscand the front is lowered for co11venient} sl11fting of the load on to another truck or to the floor. Q;

In order to hold the handle franifielevated, a pair of pivoted latches 26 are secured to the rear leg structure and each is connected to a rod 27 spring pressed toward latching position by a spring 28 and each provided with a manipulating endportion 3O beyond a fixed guide 31.

In use, the operatives convey the device in collapsed condition to a suitable pointvand then manipulate the parts in an obvious manner to convert it from a truck into a table when it becomes a rigid table structure unlikely to collapse under heavy loads. When the boxes or crates are charged With their materials and ready for transportation or unloading, the operative raises the handle thereby lowering the table top so that it forms an inclined truck bed with a lip in front to carry the load if necessary, In this collapsed arrangement, it may be transported from one place to another in a manner similar to the usual hand truck,

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a combined table top and truck bed, leg structures for supporting the table top and vtruck bed as a table, one of said leg structures being collapsible, front and rear truck rollers car.- ried by the device normally out of supporting position when said collapsible leg structure is in non-collapsed position, means for collapse ing the collapsing leg structure to incline the table top and truck bed into inclined arrangement, and for transferring the load from the leg structures onto the rollers.

2, A device of the character described in claim 1, wherein a movable handle structure is provided for the collapsible leg structure and connections between said movable handle structure and the collapsible leg part for converting the table into a truck.

3. A device of the character described in claim 1, wherein a movable handle structure is provided'for the collapsible leg structure and comprising side members pivoted to the rear leg part near the top thereof, a handle connecting said side handle members and links extending from pointsintermediate the ends of said side members to said collapsible front leg structure. i

4. In a device of the character described in claim 1, wherein the collapsible leg structure comprises an upper frame member hinged to the table top and truck bed and a signature.

ALBERT B. ODELL. 

